1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to gardening tools and, in particular, to improvements in planting and post hole tools.
2. Description of Related Art and Other Considerations
It is ofttimes desirable that holes for planting and for posting be generally cylindrical in shape, and many tools have been designed to meet this end. Examples include tools described in patents U.S. Pat. No. 220,251 (Needham), U.S. Pat. No. 570,810 (Meier), U.S. Pat. No. 849,957 (Zwiebel), U.S. Pat. No. 2,021,982 (Byrne), U.S. Pat. No. 3,847,227 (Myers), U.S. Pat. No. 4,950,013 (Yonkers), and U.S. Pat. No. 5,209,534 (Crenshaw et al). Some of the tools described in these patents include means by which soil can be removed from the hole under construction and held within the tool, an additionally desirable feature. Such holding means may be by compressing loosened soil within the tool, e.g., as described in patents U.S. Pat. Nos. 220,251, 849,957 and 2,021,982. A shock or the like against the tool or the employ of the user's foot against the held soil permits its release. U.S. Pat. No. 570,810 describes a scoop having three blades, in which one blade makes the advanced cut and slightly holds the dirt, the second follows with a broader cut and also slightly holds the dirt, and the third does no cutting but retains the soil in the scoop. While all appear to achieve the tasks for which they are devised, they exhibit disadvantages. For example, compressed soil is not always easily retained within the tool, and may require the addition of water to provide adequate binding. The use of a specialized three-part scoop adds complexity and cost to the tool, and each blade is subject to bending and, therefore, degradation in the function of the tool.